Marshal versus the Assassins: A Foreworld SideQuest (The Foreworld Saga) by M. Harold Page

Author:M. Harold Page [Page, M. Harold]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-11-12T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The dragonship passed between Narbonne’s twin river towers and out into the crowded lagoon. William stood up behind the carved prow to watch the dozens of ships and boats tacking this way and that, working their way painfully toward freedom.

Jarl Olaf simply set a straight course and relied on the rowers to send the ship skipping over the water. From the prow, Jarl Gunnar sang a line of verse—William caught the words “Christ” and “Maria.” Still rowing, the Norse crusaders sang the response in unison.

They made the choppy open sea and the salt spray stung William’s newly stitched scalp. The wind picked up. The ship reared then bumped. William lost his footing, grabbed at the neck of the dragon.

Henrik caught his arm and hauled him back.

“Ha!” boomed Jarl Gunnar. “The drekkar does not want you.”

“You will find your sea legs, Marshal”, said Henrik. “For now, sit.”

William let his friend push him down onto the step where the carved prow rose up from the deck. As the French coastline receded, William stared at the backs of the rowers, each perched on a lashed-down chest. William was the only Frank onboard a ship full of northern barbarians.

Not quite.

Beside Jarl Olaf at the steering oar stood a dark-haired man in French costume. The Norse Jarls had hired a Frankish pilot to get them to Outremer.

The pilot looked up and William recognized the Assassin he had grappled with in Joseph’s hallway. Their gazes met across the oarsmen. William had a vision of the murdered Jewish girl. His sword came into his hand as he rose.

The Assassin drew likewise.

Blades flashing in the morning light, William the Marshal and the Assassin charged together across the rolling deck of the heavily laden Norse dragonship.

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